Baker's ride signals expansion of autonomous vehicle testing

BOSTON -- Cities and towns around Metro Boston agreed Thursday to designate areas for testing self-driving cars and to work with state officials to develop a universal application for companies seeking to try out the new technology on public streets before the end of the year.

"This agreement will allow companies to responsibly develop and test autonomous vehicle technology in Massachusetts, while ensuring there are uniform safety guidelines in place," Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement.

The governor on Thursday took a ride in the back seat of a self-driving car as part of an event in the Seaport where he announced the agreement. Both he and Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack arrived at the event in autonomous vehicles, according to MassDOT.

Without any framework from the Legislature, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, municipalities and companies have nosed out toward a future that might eventually include cars that operate without anyone behind the wheel.

Boston on Wednesday announced it had given the go-ahead to nuTonomy, which was acquired by Aptiv, to expand its testing terrain beyond the South Boston Seaport where it has piloted autonomous cars since January 2017.

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"Continuing to test autonomous vehicles in a careful and methodical manner represents another step forward in helping us to achieve the vision for improved mobility that was established by residents during the Go Boston 2030 Transportation Plan public process," said Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. "If deployed thoughtfully, shared fleets of autonomous vehicles could offer the City of Boston the potential to improve safety on our streets, provide equitable connections to the MBTA, and offer a new source of mobility to all Boston residents."

The company's autonomous cars must have a professionally trained driver ready to take over operations at all times, must operate within the speed limit and abide by protocols stipulated by the city and MassDOT, according to City Hall, which announced Aptiv also puts a test engineer in the passenger seat.

The agreement with the 14 Metro Boston communities and Worcester calls for cities and towns to within six months "identify approved testing locations for at least one Testing Phase," with the idea that "MassDOT and the Participants shall endeavor to identify diverse driving environments and contiguous cross-border testing routes."

The 15 municipalities will also work with MassDOT on a universal Application to Test Autonomous Vehicles on Public Ways by the end of the year, and the agreement requires MassDOT to work with the communities on updates to the application and testing phase as appropriate.

The Metro Boston city of Everett will be surrounded by communities subject to the agreement but is not a signatory itself. Quincy is bordered to the north and south by participating communities, but likewise is not part of a memorandum of understanding.

Autonomous vehicles represent an alternative to human-piloted vehicles that killed 40,000 people across the country last year, including 14 in Boston, according to City Hall.

The new technology has its skeptics, and Walsh temporarily suspended testing on city streets earlier this year after an autonomous Uber car struck and killed a pedestrian in Arizona.

Karl Iagnemma, president of Aptiv Automated Mobility on Demand, said the company is "excited to have access to some of the most complex roads in North America."

"Each vehicle is equipped with a suite of sensors that provide a 360-degree view of the surroundings. Testing may occur in both day and nighttime hours, and during some inclement weather, such as light precipitation, fog, and low temperatures," Boston announced about its deal with nuTonomy. "As part of the upcoming expansion process, nuTonomy will continue to supply quarterly reports to the City and to update the Boston Transportation Department each time it begins operating in a new neighborhood of Boston."

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